Vane type pump



Feb. 5, 1935. H. F. VICKERS mm TYPE rum? ,F'iied Jan. 15, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. HARRY EVICKERS K JM ATTORNEY.

Feb. 5, 1935. H. F. VICKERS ,9

" I VANE TYPE PUMP Y Fi led Jan. 15, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYJ 22 g INVENTOR.

HARRYF VIC/ 5R5 Feb. 5, 1935 H. F. VICKERS vans TYPE PUMP Filed Jan. 15,1931

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. /7

INVENTOR. HARRY F. VICKERS Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VANE TYPE PUMP Harry F. Vickers, Detroit, Mich. Application January 15, 1931, Serial No. 509,011

15 Claims.

ical efficiency.

One of the greatest draw-backs to extensive use of hydraulically actuated and controlled mechanism has been the inefficiency and short life of the pump unit designed to circulate the fluid under pressure. I have found this to be particularly true where the fluid is to be actuated and placed under relatively great pressure.

have been notably inefficient mechanically with the type gear pumps both volumetrically and Standard result that they have presented a-weak link in hydraulic systems.

It is the object of the present system to provide a rotary vane type pump the various parts of which cooperate in a novel manner to present a pump having relatively high mechanical and volumetric efficiency, and which parts also so coact and modify each other as to present an easily assembled, compact unit which will maintain such high efficiencies over a much longer period of time than has heretofore been believed to have been possible with rotary type pumps.

More specifically, the present invention contemplates a universally adaptable pump unit which may be said to be independent of the outer case or housing; in other words, this pump unit is complete in itself and may be readily assembled in connection with any .type or shape of housing. The two-part housing itself is believed to be novel especially in the manner in which it cooperates with the pump unit.

Other important features reside in the constructicn and arrangement of the pump unit parts including flanges and bearings formed in one piece and cooperating in a novel manner with the pump casing and the pump rotor to insure free running and to prevent leakage; a liner cooperating with the flanges and with the housing to present a compact rigid structure and also to make possible the reversing of the pump; a balanced rotor formed by the combination of the housing, the flanges and the liner;

and a freely mounted or floating rotor which aids materially in preventing wear and leakage.

Other novel features, the manner in which the parts cooperate, and the results obtained thereby will be more clearly brought out in the specification and claim In the drawings:

Figs. 1 to 6 illustrate the various main parts of my pump in their relative positions of assembly.

Fig. 2 is a sectional assembly view of the parts shown in Figs. 1 to 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. '7

Fig. 9 is an end view of that part of the casing shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is an end elevation of the one piece flange and bearing unit shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 11 is an end elevation of the liner ring shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view through the casing shown in Fig. 6 and taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 13 is an end elevation of the casing shown in Fig. 6 and showing particularly the relative arrangement of inlet and outlet passageways and inlet and outlet ports.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken on line 14-14 of Fig. 13 and showing the manner of connecting the inner and outer passageways with the concentric ports.

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but with a section taken on different planes to show the relative arrangement of the rotor vanes positioned to move in one direction and also the relative arrangement of the passageways and ports.

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15 but showing the liner ring rotated and the rotor reversed whereby the vanes are positioned to rotate in a direction opposite to that shown in Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a sectional view taken on line 17-17 of Fig. '7.

The novel features of the present. invention will probably be best understood by explaining the manner in which the various parts thereof cooperate to make up my novel combined pump unit. While practically all the parts of my pump cooperate in a manner with each of the other parts and while some of the individual parts contain novel features of themselves, the gist of the invention resides in the combination.

Balanced Totor.--The heart of my rotary pump may be said to reside in the rotor unit as shown in Fig. 4. This rotor may be generally designated 1 and may consist of a cylindrical body portion 2 and axially projecting trunnions or bearing members 3. The body 2 of the rotor is slotted as best shown in Fig. 8 to receive relatively thin vanes 4.

Practically every part of my pump cooperates either directly or indirectly with this central rotor unit. The main body 2 of the rotor unit is adapted to snugly fit within an annular liner ring 5. The outer surface of this liner is circular in formation, as best shown in Fig. 8, but the inner surface is more of an elliptical shape to generally form the balanced working chambers 6 and 7. The greater part of the surfaces of the liner 5, which define the working chambers 6 and 7, are substantially concentric as are also the diametrically positioned portions 8 of the liner which receive and support the main body of the rotor. The curvature of the intermediate portions between the concentric surfaces just described is gradual and merges with said concentric surfaces with the result that the movement of the vanes 4 takes place as a gradual outward and inward movement and at points just prior to and after the development of pressure in the working chambers 6 and 7. I

As will be subsequently brought out, the shape and dimensions of the working chambers 6 and '7 cooperate directly with the shape and arrangement of the inlet and outlet ports. Furthermore, the vanes of the rotor cooperate in a novel way with the inner surfaces of the liner to insure greater efliciency and incidentally greatly, increase the life of the vanes as well as'the ring 5. Not only are the vanes thin to reduce the bearing pressure at the ends thereof, but the vanes are tilted forward whereby to cause the pressure angle, tending to push the vanes into the rotor on the pressure side, to be at right angles to the line of motion of the vane. This also brings the I center of gravity of the vane behind the trailing edge of the vane so as to prevent the vane from jumping as it leaves the inner circle on the tangent of the cam. It will, therefore, be obvious that this arrangement in addition to providing a balanced pressure for the rotor and thereby take the load off the bearings also makes it possible to obtain relatively great efficiency without appreciable wear of the vanes themselves. In other words, the vanes do not move relative to the rotor when they are under material pressure.

One-piece external bushing.Instead of being directly supported in a case or housing, the extensions or bearings 3 of the rotor unit are supported by oppositely positioned one piece bushing units 9 and 10. These bushing unitsconsist of the bearing members 11 and 12, which externally support the bearings 3 of the rotor, and laterally extending flanges 13 and 14. This forming of the bearings and flanges as an integral bushing unit permits the bushing units to be machined very accurately and easily and therefore not only permits of free running of the rotor but positively prevents any leakage at one of the important points of the assembly.

The liner ring 5 acts as a spacer for the two bushing flanges l3 and l4,'and the machined surfaces of the flanges 3 and 4 being necessarily at right angles to the axis thereof, because of being formed of a single piece, it will be obvious that the side walls for the vanes 4 will present a very close fit due to this accurate machining and alignment. The flange 14 of the bushing unit 10 is provided with concentric circumferentially spaced inlet and outlet ports 15. These arcuate ports are relatively long and narrow for a specific purpose to be later described and each set of diametrically positioned ports form either the inlet or outlet ports according to the position of the liner and direction of rotation of the rotor. Each flange 13 and 14 is provided with an annular groove '16 on its inner face to insure equal and sufficient distribution of pressure over the entire lower surface of the vanes 4. The flange 14, in addition to the groove 16, is also provided with four equidistantly spaced apertll fi 17 adapted to register with ports 18 formed in the casing and connected to the high pressure pas- 1 sageways as will be later described. The four apertures 17 permit communication between the ports 18 and the groove 16 regardless of the position of the flange.

Combined distribution and supporting casing.- The main part of my casing unit which may be generally designated 19, as best illustrated in Fig. 6, preferably is so arranged as to properly distribute and circulate the fluid and also to carry the rotor shaft.

As best shown in Figs. 6 and 'l, the casing unit is provided with an extension 20 and a rotor shaft 21 is adapted to be fixedly but rotatably positioned within said extension through the medium of a suitable packing gland, end thrust and roller bearings. The other end of the casing unit 19 is provided with an extension 22 forming a chamber 23 for receiving the complete pump unit consisting of the parts shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5. The inner end of the fixedly positioned shaft 21 is splined as at 24 to slidably receive a broached or corresponding slotted portion 25 formed in the rotor unit 1, as best shown in Fig. 4. Regardless of the particular manner of connecting the rotor to the shaft, the connection between the two is such that the rotor may adjust itself axially along the shaft so that the body of the rotor and the vanes will always automatically assume a central position between the flanges 13 and 14. This is an extremely important feature because if the rotor were not axially and freely positioned between the side walls the wear against one of the walls and the resulting leakage would materially reduce the efliciency of the pump. It will thus be seen that the rotor shaft may be fixedly installed within the casing unit or removed therefrom, independently of the pump unit or vice versa, and that the complete pump unit may be easily removed from the end of the rotor shaft without in any way disturbing such rotor shaft.

As best shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14, the casing 19 is provided with an inlet 26 leading into concentric passageways 27 and 28, and an outlet port 29 leading from concentric passageways 30 and 31. The inner face 32 of the chamber 23 is provided with four concentric and circumferentially spaced openings which openings are preferably of substantially the same size and arrangement as the openings 15 formed in the flange 14. One set of diametrically positioned openings 33 are designed to be connected to the inner passageways 30 and 31 and another set of diametrically positioned openings 34 are connected to the outer passageways 2'7 and 28. Inasmuch as the openings 33 and 34 are arrangedconcentrically between the inner passageways and the outer passageways, such openings are connected to the passageways by means of angularly positioned ports, as best shown in Fig. 14. Regardless of the direction of rotation of the rotor or the position of the working chambers 6 and '7, the location of the inlet openings 34 and the outlet openings 33 is permanent. It will therefore be obvious that I may use many different types and shapes of casings so long as the inlet and out.- let openings are arranged some way similar to that shown in Fig. 13.

The outlet passageways 30 and 31 become the pressure passageways while the inlet passage- I ways 27 and 28 may be termed the induction passageways. As best shown in Figs. 12 and 17, the portion of the casing between the ends of the outlet passageways 30 and 31 and adjacent the inlet port 26 is provided with an opening 35 which connects the space 36 at one end of the rotor shaft with the induction passageways. The casing cap, as best shown in Fig. 1, is provided with a conduit 37, which, as best shown in Fig. '7 connects the peripheryof the pump unit with a space 38 formed at the other end of the rotor. The location of this conduit makes certain that any fluid under pressure and escaping between the flanges and the rotor will pass through the conduit 3'7, axially through the rotor, and along the rotor shaft to the space 36 and into the induction passageways. While the one piece bushing units 9 and 10 act as a seal, the conduit just described insures that any leakage of the fluid under pressure takes the path of least resistance.

As best shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the wall 32 of the casing is provided with two positioning holes 40 and 41, either one of which is adapted to receive a pin 42 for positioning the flange 14 and the liner ring 5. With the rotor and liner in the position shown in Fig. 8, the pin 42 will be in the hole 41. As the ring member 5 is reversible, apertures 43 are provided on each side of the ring member. When it is desired to reverse the direction of movement of the rotor, the rotor body is removed, turned around and inserted so that the vanes are tilted forward in the opposite direction, as best shown in Fig. 16. When this is done the pin 42 is removed from the hole 41 and placed in the hole 40, and the ring member and flange 14 moved correspondingly. This arrangement moves the working chambers 90 as will be seen by comparing Figs. 15 and 16.

Assembly and operation.1n assembling my novel pump unit, the casing unit may be first assembled as shown in Fig. 6 and the pin 42 inserted in the proper hole according to the direction of rotation of the rotor. Next, the four elements forming the independent pump unit; namely, the flange and bearing unit 9, the liner 5, the rotor 1, and the flange and bearing unit 10, may be assembled together and inserted as a unit, or the respective parts inserted in order in the casing 19. The casing cap, as best shown in Fig. 1, may then be inserted in place whereby the'flanges 13 and 14 and the liner ring 5 are securely and solidly held in place, leaving the rotor element 1 freely mounted on the end rotor shaft 21 whereby said rotor body may centralize itself between the faces of the flanges 13 and 14.

When the rotor shaft is rotated in the direction shown in Figs. 8 and 15, fluid is drawn in through the intake 26 and is directed into the passageways 2'7 and 28 and thence into the d.- ametrically arranged openings 34, as best shown in Figs. 13 and 14. As the slots 15 of the flange 14 register with the respective openings 33 and 34 in the casing and as the liner ring 5 is definitely positioned relative to such ports or slots 15, it will be seen that the surfaces of the working chambers 6 and '7 bear a definite relationship to the openings 15. This relationship is best illustrated in Figs. 8, 15 and 16.

The arcuate ports 15 are of suflicient length as to register with those portions of the working chamber surfaces which permit outward movement of the vanes 4. Thus the outward and inward movement of the vanes 4 takes place while in registry with the inlet and outlet ports 15. There is no movement of the vanes through the central part of the working chambers 6 and 7 with the result that the vanes do not move radially while they are under pressure.

The fluid placed under pressure in the working chambers 6 and 7 passes out through the diametrically positioned discharge ports which cooperate with the discharge ports 33 formed in the casing 19 and which communicate with the passages 30 and 31.

In addition to the natural tendency of the vanes to contact with the surfaces of the liner due to the centrifugal action, these vanes are maintained outwardly under positive pressure by reason of the fact that the apertures 17 in the flange 14 are in direct communication with the ports 18 leading from the high pressure passageways 30' and 31. The high pressure acts evenly all the way across the back of the vanes because of the annular groove 16 formed in each of the inner faces of the flanges 13 and 14. The one piece flanges and bearings act as inner seals from the high pressure groove behind the vanes into the case. This furnishes an automatic high pressure lubricating supply to these rotor supporting bearings as well as acting as a seal. As the flanges 13 and 14, and the liner 5 form the complete case for the rotor, it will be obvious that there is no pressure on the case or packing which positively prevents any spring of the case cover and subsequent leakage.

The operation of the pump upon reversing the position of the rotor is much the same except that the working chambers are so arranged relative to the inlet and outlet ports that the entrance of the fluid is at the opposite side of the working chambers (compare Figs. 15 and 16).

It will thus be seen that I have provided a rotary vane type pump unit the parts of which are very simple and compact in construction and assembly, and all of which cooperate in a way to provide not only easy assembly but relatively great efficiency over a long period of time. The various parts of the pump cooperate especially in reducing wear at the most vital points.

What I claim is:

1. In a vane type rotary pump, the combination of a casing having pressure chambers and balanced intake and exhaust ports, a rotor shaft fixedly mounted in said casing, and a pump unit consisting of a rotor, a solid liner and one piece flange bearings slidable as a unit on said rotor shaft, only one of said flanges having balanced intake and exhaust openings registering with the balanced intake and exhaust ports formed in the casing, and an aperture in said flange positioned adjacent the bearing portion thereof and connecting a pressure chamber in the casing with a concentric groove formed in said flange and an inner portion of the rotor for conducting fluid from said pressure chamber to the inner edges of the vanes.

2. In a vane type rotary pump, the combination of a casing having pressure chambers and balanced intake and exhaust ports at one end of the casing for controlling the flow of all working fluid to and from the pump, a rotor shaft fixedly mounted in said casing, a pump unit consisting of a rotor, one piece liner and flange bearings slidable as a unit on said rotor shaft, one of said flanges having balanced intake and exhaust openings registering with the balanced intake and exhaust ports formed in the casing, and an aperture positioned adjacent the junction of the flange and bearing and connecting a pressure chamber in the casing with a concentric groove formed in said flange and an inner portion of the rotor for conducting fluid from said pressure chamber to the inner edges of the vanes, and means for fixing said flange and liner in position but allowing free axial movement of the rotor on said shaft.

3. In a vane type rotary pump, the combination of a casing having intake and exhaust passageways at one end of the casing for controlling the flow of all workingfiuid to and from the pump, a rotor shaft fixedly mounted in a bearing at said end of the casing, a rotor having axially extending trunnions and a one piece flanged bearing in axial alignment with said rotor shaft bearing for receiving and supporting one of said trunnions, said rotor having a floating arrangement with said shaft, the flange of said bearing forming one of the walls of a rotor chamber for receiving said rotor and having ports cooperating with the intake and exhaust passageways in the casing for conducting fluid to and from the rotor, and an aperture positioned adjacent the bearing and passing through the flange for connecting a pressure chamber in the casing with an inner portion of the rotor for conducting fluid from said pressure chamber to the inner edges of the vanes, said casing, flange bearing and trunnion cooperating to form a seal against by-passing of pressure.

4. In a vane type rotary pump, the combination of a casing having intake and exhaust passageways, a rotor shaft fixedly mounted in said casing, a rotor having axially extending trunnions and a one piece flanged bearing in axial alignment with said shaft mounting for receiving and supporting one of said trunnions, the flange of said bearing forming one of the walls of a rotor chamber for receiving said rotor and having ports cooperating with the intake and exhaust passageways in the casing for conducting all the working fluid to and from one side of the rotor, said flange also having balanced ports cooperating with the exhaust passageways in said casing for supplying fluid under pressure to the inner edge of the vanes.

5. In a vane type rotary pump, the combination of a casing having intake and exhaust passageways, a rotor shaft, a rotor having axially extending trunnions and a one piece flanged bearing for receiving and supporting one of said trunnions, the flange of said bearing forming one of the walls of a rotor chamber for receiving said rotor and having ports cooperating with the intake and exhaust passageways in the casing for conducting all the working fluid to and from one side of the rotor, said flange also having balanced ports cooperating with the exhaust passageways in said casing for supplying fluid under pressure to the inner edge of the vanes.

6. In a vane type rotary pump, the combination of a casing having concentrically arranged and radially spaced intake and exhaust passageways, diametrically positioned intake and exhaust ports converging from said concentric passageways, a rotor shaft, a rotor mounted on said shaft and having a radially extending body with radially reciprocable vanes, a liner cooperating with said radially extending body to form balanced working chambers, and a one piece bearing flange having concentric circumferentially spaced openings cooperating with said intake and exhaust ports for conducting fluid to and from said working chambers.

7. In a vane type rotary pump, the combination of a casing having concentrically arranged and radially spaced intake and exhaust passageways, diametrically positioned intake and exhaust ports, a rotor shaft, a rotor mounted on said shaft and having a radially extending body with radially reciprocable vanes, a liner cooperating with said radially extending body to form balanced working chambers, a one piece bearing flange having concentric circumferentially spaced openings cooperating with said intake and exhaust ports for conducting fluid to and from said working chambers, and a groove in said flange for supplying fluid under pressure to the inner edges of said vanes.

8. In a. rotary vane type pump, the combination of a casing having intake and exhaust chambers and balanced'concentric intake and exhaust ports in one wall of said chambers, a rotor shaft fixedly mounted in said casing, a rotor'having its own bearings, radially reciprocable vanes in said rotor, one piece members forming bushings for said bearings and side walls of a rotor chamber for receiving said rotor, balanced working chambers at the periphery of said rotor, one of said side walls having ports registering with said first named ports for conducting fluid to and from said working chambers, and an aperture in said wall adjacent said bushing and connecting the exhaust chamber with the back of said vanes.

9. In a rotary vane type pump, the combination of a casing having intake and exhaust chambers and balanced intake and exhaust ports in one wall of said chambers, a rotor shaft, a rotor having its own -bearings, radially reciprocable vanes in said rotor, one piece members forming bushings for said bearings and side walls of a rotor chamber for receiving said rotor, balanced working chambers at the periphery of said rotor, one of said side walls having ports registering with said first named ports for conducting all the working fluid to and from said working chambers, and an aperture in said wall adjacent said bushing and connecting the exhaust chamber with the back of said vanes.

10. In a rotary vane type pump, the combination of a casing having concentrically arranged balanced intake and exhaust chambers and ports at one end thereof, a rotor shaft fixedly mounted in said end of the casing, a rotor having its own bearings, one piece members forming bushings for said bearings and side walls of a rotor chamber for receiving said rotor, working chambers at the periphery of said rotor, only one of said side walls having ports registering with said first named ports for conducting all the working fluid to and from said working chambers, a closure cap for the casing having an oil conduit connecting one of said walls with the interior of one of said rotor bearings.

11. In a rotary vane type pump, the combination of a casing having balanced intake and exhaust chambers and ports at one end only, a rotor shaft, a rotor having its own bearings, one piece members forming bushings for said bearings and side walls of a rotor chamber for receiving said rotor, balanced working chambers at the periphery of said rotor, only one of said side walls having ports registering with said first named ports for conducting fluid to and from the inner wall of said working chambers, and

an aperture in said wall adjacent said bushing and connecting the exhaust chamber with the back of said vanes, the vanes on said rotor being tilted forward in the direction of rotation, said rotor being removable from the end of the casing opposite said chambers and reversible for changing the position of said working chambers according to the direction of rotation of the rotor.

12. In a rotary vane type pump, the combination of a casing having balanced intake and exhaust chambers and ports at one end only, a rotor shaft, a rotor having its own bearings, one piece members forming bushings for said bearings and side walls of a rotor chamber for receiving said rotor, balanced working chambers at the periphery of said rotor, one of said side walls having ports registering with said first named ports for conducting fluid to and from the inner wall of said working chambers, and an aperture in said wall adjacent said bushing and connecting the exhaust chamber with the back of said vanes, the vanes on said rotor being tilted forward in the direction of rotation saidrotor being removable from the end of the casing opposite said chambers and reversible for changing the position of said working chambers according to the direction of rotation of the rotor without changing the general direction of fluid flow through the pump.

13. In a vane type rotary pump, the combination of a casing having at one end bilateral intake and exhaust passageways, a rotor shaft fixedly mounted in the end of the casing having said passageways, a portion of the casing extending axially to form a chamber, and a pump unit within said chamber, said unit consisting of a rotor, vanes in said rotor, a liner shaped to form balanced working chambers at opposite sides of said rotor, flanges forming side walls for said rotor and working chambers and having integral bushings for supporting the rotor, and diametrically positioned ports in one of said flanges cooperating with said passageways and working chambers for conducting fluid to and from the working chambers, and means for positioning said liner and ported flange relative to the casing.

14. In a vane type rotary pump, the combination of a casing having bilateral intake and exhaust passageways, a rotor shaft fixedly mounted in said casing, a portion of the casing extending axially to form a chamber, and a pump unit within said chamber, said unit consisting of a rotor, vanes in said rotor, a liner shaped to form balanced working chambers at opposite sides of said rotor, flanges forming side walls for said rotor and working chambers and having integral bushings for supporting the rotor, and diametrically positioned ports in one of said flanges cooperating with said passageways and working chambers for conducting fluid to and from the working chambers, and means for positioning said liner and ported flange relative to the casing, a portion of the liner forming each working chamber being concentric to maintain the vanes radially stationary during the working stroke.

15. In a mechanism of the character described, a casing having a chamber, concentric, radially spaced passageways between said chamber and an end wall of the casing, a shaft extending into the chamber and fixed at only one end in said end wall, a rotor on the shaft including a radial body and axial trunnions, a liner defining balanced working chambers at the periphery of the rotor, means connecting said working chambers and passageways said shaft being freely slidable relative to said rotor and terminating substantially within the plane of said radial body, a bearing in the chamber having a tubular portion seated in a socket in the casing and surrounding the trunnion and a flange slidably supporting a side of the radial body, and means for rotating the rotor.

HARRY F. VICKERS. 

